The present invention relates generally to an electronic money system and a payment-accepting apparatus, which are preferably applicable to an electronic money system and a payment-accepting apparatus that are used by storing amount of money data into an information card.
Conventionally, when a user uses a cash card or a credit card issued by a bank or a credit card company, a salesperson of a store at which the user has done shopping puts the user's card into a card terminal installed in that store. The card reader terminal reads the card number recorded in the magnetic strips on the card and, at the same time, the salesperson enters the amount of money used by the user into the card terminal.
The card terminal is connected to the managing computer of the bank or the credit card company through a communication line to send the read card number and the amount of money. The managing computer of the bank or the credit card company manages information about the user's card, such as expiration date, limit credit amount, and loss or theft report, and determines the usability of the card on the basis of the information, such as the card number and the amount used supplied from the card terminal through the communication line. If the card is found usable, the managing computer of the bank or the credit card company sends back the usability information to the card terminal and, at the same time, goes through formalities for charging the amount to the bank account specified in the card.
The systems using the above-mentioned cash cards and credit cards must send requests for card use approval from the card terminal to the managing computer of the bank or the credit card company every time users want to use their cards. This causes the problem of complicating card use processing because communication line connection processing is required.